Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boden Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,870 in Boden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,862 in Boden, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,854 in Boden, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Boden, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Boden sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Boden by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$19.68 SEK 191

-59.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$79.8 SEK 774

-39.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.49 SEK 102

-10.20%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.60 SEK 44.55

-36.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.71 SEK 16.58

8.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.31 SEK 22.42

-36.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.23 SEK 70.1

-55.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.55 SEK 73.2

-24.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.58 SEK 15.29

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.87 SEK 27.79

-16.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.79 SEK 36.74

-55.15%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$4.57 SEK 44.34

-36.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.68 SEK 123

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$12.56 SEK 122

-20.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$18.01 SEK 175

-21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.08 SEK 29.90

29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.73 SEK 26.47

-42.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.08 SEK 29.89

-30.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.91 SEK 47.63

-53.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.67 SEK 16.24

19.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.63 SEK 15.76

-7.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.31 SEK 22.40

-48.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.52 SEK 14.69

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.84 SEK 105

-64.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.67 SEK 103

31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.05 SEK 19.87

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.35 SEK 22.80

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$3.53 SEK 34.20

-64.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$75.9 SEK 735

2.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$6.09 SEK 59.1

-78.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.66 SEK 16.06

30.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$66.3 SEK 643

-87.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.18 SEK 21.10

-37.61%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$26.0K SEK 251.6K

5.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.1K SEK 330.8K

7.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 COP 519.2K

$110 SEK 1,064

53.73%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$27.39 SEK 266

-50.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$39.07 SEK 379

-27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$59.2 SEK 573

-22.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$20.63 SEK 200

-16.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.22 SEK 128

-49.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$803 COP 2.5M

$164 SEK 1,591

389.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,241 SEK 50.8K

75.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$94.3 SEK 914

-7.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$43.62 SEK 423

36.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$96.6 SEK 936

43.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$146 SEK 1,413

-30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$938 SEK 9,093

14.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$607 SEK 5,886

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,414 SEK 13.7K

36.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,070 SEK 10.4K

-2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,427 SEK 42.9K

-6.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,904 SEK 28.2K

-41.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,913 SEK 37.9K

-83.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.4

221.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boden: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $938 in Boden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 497% higher in Boden, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $80.0 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $373 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boden is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,805 in Boden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,870 in Boden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Boden at $1,870. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.